Governmental bodies should encourage, not blunt, participation

When an elected body meets, the proceedings are open to the public, with provision to be closed to discuss sensitive topics.
However, public meetings aren’t public forums. No one attending to listen and observe has a right to speak. Most bodies have a mechanism to involve the public, by setting aside a time for public comment.
Rules affecting public meetings are in place not only to make what occurs transparent, but also to keep public participation from getting out of hand, even digressing into confrontations.
Everyone wins when all follow the rules.

MONDAY night members of the Crest Board of Education technically followed the rules, but drove a conspicuous nail in the coffin of public mistrust of government when one person was denied a chance to comment on termination of Brent Smith as football coach.
At the start, those in attendance were advised of a public comment period. It was noted that each person so compelled could speak for five minutes and comment on a single topic would be limited to 20 minutes.
Smith, whose appearance was noted on the agenda, then spoke.
Afterward Cody Wools, a former player of Smith’s rose to speak, but was not permitted to do so. Seems the public comment period had passed when Smith took the podium.
While technically correct, the board’s decision was an affront to the spirit of open government. To be honest, it was downright rude.
In today’s political environment, government suffers enough blackeyes, without opening itself to criticism by hiding behind a ruse.
Boards of education — any public body — should bend over backward to involve their constituents, regardless of their motivation.
From all indications, the opening and closing of the public comment period wasn’t made clear to Wools, or to others attending the meeting, including a Register reporter.
No one would have suffered if Wools would have been permitted to give what surely was nothing more than a few words of support for his former coach. In fact, his comments could have shed light on the subject. We’ll never know.
— Bob Johnson